Health information technology (IT) systems are essential to the healthcare industry. In order to develop, deploy, and maintain these systems in compliance with the Health Information Exchange (HIE) a proper certification and accreditation (C&A) process is needed. The researchers will provide a model for C&A in the state hospital systems. C&A implementation is needed in order to protect patient information and uphold the standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). Executing Health IT systems can significantly improve healthcare quality, prevent medical oversights, immensely reduce healthcare costs, improve administrative competency, and expand healthcare access exponentially. Creating a national standard for healthcare IT systems implementation will improve the healthcare system and improve the process of healthcare delivery.

1. Certification and Accreditation
for Health IT Systems
Maurice Dawson1, Jorja Wright2
1Alabama A&M University
2Florida Institute of Technology

2. Abstract
Health information technology (IT) systems are essential to the
healthcare industry. In order to develop, deploy, and maintain these
systems in compliance with the Health Information Exchange (HIE) a
proper certification and accreditation (C&A) process is needed. The
researchers will provide a model for C&A in the state hospital
systems. C&A implementation is needed in order to protect patient
information and uphold the standards of the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). Executing Health IT
systems can significantly improve healthcare quality, prevent
medical oversights, immensely reduce healthcare costs, improve
administrative competency, and expand healthcare access
exponentially. Creating a national standard for healthcare IT systems
implementation will improve the healthcare system and improve the
process of healthcare delivery.

3. Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• An association that
enables organizations to
electronically share health-
related information [1].
• Example: HealthyCircles, a
San Diego-based
company that shares
health care information to
patients, their families and
members of the patient’s
health care team [2].
Picture courtesy of HealthCircles [2].

4. Certification and Accreditation
• Oct. 4, 2012 –
U.S. Dept of Health – ONC institutes the Temporary
and Human Services
(HHS) Certification Program (TCP) [3].
– ONC Health Information
Technology (HIT) Certification
Program [3].
Office of the National
• ANSI is a coordinator of the U.S.
Coordinator (ONC) voluntary standardization system
[4].
• First five Health Information
Technology
Permanent – Certification Commission for
Certification Program
for Health Information Health Information Technology
Technology (HIT) (CCHIT)
– Drummond Group, Inc.
– ICSA Laboratories, Inc.
American National – InfoGard Laboratories, Inc.
Standards Institute – Orion Register, Inc. [4]
(ANSI)

5. Unclassified DIACAP Controls
STUDY CONDUCTED ON MISSION
ASSURANCE CATEGORY III
UNCLASSIFIED CONTROLS

6. DIACAP IA Controls

7. Applicable Frameworks
DIACAP
Common
Criteria
Certification
NIST SP-800
Series

8. Health Insurance Portability &
Accountability Act (HIPAA) and HIE
• Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
• Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic
Exchange of Individually Identifiable Health Information (Privacy
and Security Framework) [1].
• Privacy Rule [5].

9. Benefits of Electronic Health Records
(EHR)
• American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009
• Health Information
Technology for Economic
and Clinical Health
(HITECH) Act [1].
Courtesy of Health IT [1].

10. Works Cited
[1]. Health information exchange . (2012). “ONC HIT Certification Program”
Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/health-
information-exchange
[2]. Healthy cirlces. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.healthycircles.com/
[3]. Health IT. (2012). “ONC HIT Certification Program.” Retrieved from
http://www.healthit.gov/policy-researchers-implementers/onc-hit-
certification-program.
[4]. American National Standards Institute. (2012). “Ansi accredits first five
health information technology certification bodies.” Retrieved
fromhttp://www.ansi.org/news_publications/news_story.aspx?menuid=
7&articleid=3308#.UUfBWRzCaSo
[5]. HHS. (2012). “The HIPAA Privacy Rule and Electronic Health
Information Exchange in a Networked Environment.”
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/special/healthit/int
roduction.pdf